Rack for vehicles.



G. S. WASHBURN.

RACK FOR. VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1914.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Zlhinessesz W THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTOVLITHQ. WASHING mu. D c.

GEORGE S. WASHBURN, 0F BELLE PLAINE, IOWA.

BACK FOB VEHICLES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. Gnoncn S. WASH- BURN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Belle Plaine, in the county ofBenton and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Rackfor Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a rack for vehicles of simple,durable and inexpensive construction provided with uprights pivotallymounted at its ends and adapted to be swung from upright to de pendingposition for moving the rack from the running gear of a wagon andsupporting it after it has been so removed in proper position forplacing the running gear under the rack in suitable position for againmounting the rack on the running gear.

More particularly, it is my object to provide in such a rack side rackmembers pivoted to the upright members and to provide new and novelmeans for mounting said side rack members on the frame of the rack nearthe middle thereof and for locking said side'members in position forholding the end members upright and also for permitting the movement ofsaid side members when the end members are swung downwardly or upwardly.

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction.arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, wherebythe obiects contemplated are at tained. as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in my claims. and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. in which:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a rack embodying my invention. thedotted lines showing the positions of the end members when lowered forsupporting the rack on the ground and showing a wagon running gearbeneath the rack. Fig. 2 shows a top or plan view of the rack. Fig. 3shows a detail view of the catch device. and Fig. 1

shows a detail. sectional view ofoneof the brackets and the crossmember. between the upright members.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate the ma n long tudinal f ame members of a rack. Mounted abovethe frame mem ers 10 are transverse members 11 extending laterallybeyond the framev members .10. Resting upon the frame members 11 are theMounted on the frame members 10 near Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 12915.

Application filed March 28, 1914;. Serial No. 828,092.

their ends are brackets 13 comprising angle irons having the centralportion of one angle cut away, and the other angle bent U-shaped. asshown in Fig. 4 to form a bearing 14. There are at least two of thebrackets 13 at each end of the rack and the bearings 14 of the bracketsat each end of the rack are arranged in alinement.

Mounted in the bearings 14 at each end of the rack is a transverseconnecting member 15. Formed on the member 15 at the forward end of therack at each end thereof is a normally upright rack member 16 preferablyof hollow tubing. Formed on the ends of the member 15 at the rear end ofthe rack are normally upright rack members 17 also preferably formedwith hollow tubing. Telescopically received within the members 16 and 17are members 18.

It will be seen that by varying the distance which the members 18 areinserted into the members 16 and 17 the total length of the uprightframe members may be considerably varied. It will also be seen that themembers 17 and 15 and the members 16 and 15 form U-sha ed devices whichmay be swung around from position where the members 16 and 17 areupright to the position where they extend. downwardly from the mainframe of the rack, as shown by the do ted lines in Fig. 1.

v Pivotallv secured to each of the members 16 preferably near the outerends thereof is .a s de rack member 19 normally extending downwardly andapproximately to the trans erse center line of the rack, as shown inFig. 1. Similar side frame members 20 are similarly connected with themember 17 and extend downwardly and approximately to the transversecenter line of the rack on each side thereof.

I have provided the following means for suitably mounting the lower endsof the members 19 and 20 on the side of the rack near the transversemiddle line thereof. Secured to each of the members 19 and 20 near itslower end is a bolt 21 formed on and extending from whichis a catchdevice 22'. Pivotally mounted on the outer members 12 at each side ofthe rack are a plu ralitv of pairs of bars 23. Assuming that the barsare in the position shown in Fig. 2, which is the position they havewhen the members 16 and 17 are upright they extend forwardly parallelwith the members 12 and have formed at their forward ends extensions 24extending forwardly and. out wardly as clearly shown in said Fig. 2. Thecatch devices 22 are pivoted between the free ends of the extensions 24:by means of bolts 25. It will be seen that each of the members 19 and 20is connected with one of the members 12 in the same way. Mounted on thesides of the members 12 in suitable position are coacting catch devicesdesigned to engage the catch devices 22 when the members 17 and 16 arein their upright positions. These coacting catch devices comprise plates26 secured to the sides of the members 12 by bolts 27 or the like.

Formed on the plates 26 are horizontal extensions 27 extending outwardlyaway from the members 12. Formed on the outer ends of the members 27"*are horizontal extensions 28 parallel with the mem ers 12. Formed on theends of the members 28 farthest from the ortions 27 are portions 29inclined outwardly and away from the members 28. These coacting catchdevices are made of strong resilient material;

In the practical operation of my improved device, assuming that theparts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the members 17 and 16upright and the members 22 engaged by the coacting catch devices, therack is. in position for use.

Assuming that the rack is on a wagon 7 running gear and it is desired toremove it therefrom, the driver may press against the members 29 and onaccount of the resiliency of said' coacting catch devices they may bepressed away from the members 22, thereby releasing the members 22-.Thereupon the members 23 may be permitted to swing outwardly andrearwardly. The members 16 and 17 may then be swung rearwardly anddownwardly until their ends extend downwardly and rest upon the ground,thereupon the vehicle can be backed a short distance.

Assuming that the members 17 and 16 and the members 18 are of such totallength that when they are in a vertical, downwardly extending position,they hold the rack members 10 above the position which the rack membershave on therunning gears, it will be seen that by backing the wagon therack' will be elevated. The height to which the rack will be elevateddepends upon the combined length of the members 17 and 16 with themembers 18. When the members 16 and 17 reach vertical downwardlyextending positions the members 23 will be returned to their originalposition and the catch devices may be locked. The rack will thereupon besupported upon the members 16; and 17 and the members 18 and the wagonrunning gear may be pulled away.

-.l7Vlien it is desired to replace the rack on the running gear therunning gear is run below the rack and the rack maybe lowered upon it.The advantages of such a rack are largely obvious from the foregoingdescription. It may be readily and easily removed from, or placed on therunning gear of a wagon by one man and without any heavy elevatingstrain. The parts 23 and 2 k and the coacting catch devices are ofsimple and effective construction,the coacting catch devices being soconstructed that the member 22 engages the member 29 and springs it toposition for causing the two catch devices to engage automatically whenthe members 23 and 2 1 are moved toward the middle of the rack. It willbe seen'that the distance between the member 28 and the member 12 isapproximately the same as the distance from the line of the engagingedge of the catch member 22 to the portion of said member 22 whichengages the member 12 when the catch devices are locked. The engagingedge of the member 22, when said catch devices are locked stands againstand parallel with the member 28 and fits close up to the member 27sothat the lateral pull of the member 22 and the arm 20 or 19, as thecase may be, is imposed on the member 28 close to the member 27*.

It will be understood that the members 20- and 1-9 are mounted on themembers 17 and 16 loosely enough to permit slight lat-- eral swinging ofsaid arms 20 and 19, as illustrated by the dotted lines in said Fig. 2.

On account of the use of the plates or links 23, the arms 20 and 19 arealways con- 7 nected with the frame of the rack and it is unnecessary toprovide means for clamping or fastening them on the rack. In otherwords, all the adjustments of the rack may be made without the necessityofdetaching any parts from the rack.

On account of the fact that the links or plates 23 are made in parallelpairs receiving the members 22 between their ends, and receiving themembers 12 between. them when the engaging devices are locked together,it will be seen that said links or plates hold the arms 19 and 20against movement in av vertical plane.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of theconstruction of my rack without departing from its essential featuresand it is my intention to: cover by this application any such changeswhich may be included within the scope of the following claims. V 1

I claim as invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a rack frame, uprightimemberspivoted to the corners'thereof to swing in vertical planes from verticalupright position to'vertical' depending position and to clear: the rackframe, said frame members pivoted to said upright members atpointsspacedxap'art from their pivoted' points and inclined, when said firstmembers are upri ht, downwardly and towardfthe transverse center line:of the.

rack, link devices pivoted to the rack frame to swing in horizontalplanes, one of said link devices being pivoted to the end of each sidemember, and means for locking said link devices in one position of theirmovement.

In a device of the class described, a rack frame, upright memberspivoted to the corners thereof to swing in vertical planes from verticalupright position to vertical depending position and to clear the rackframe, side frame members pivoted to said upright members at pointsspaced apart from their pivoted points and inclined, when said firstmembers are upright, clownwardly and toward the transverse center lineof the rack, link devices pivoted to the rack frame to swing inhorizontal planes, one of said link devices being pivoted to the end ofeach side member, and means for locking said link devices in oneposition of their movement, each of said link devices consisting ofparallel members spaced from each other and designed, when the saidcorner members are upright or depending, to receive between them aportion of the rack frame to hold said side members against movement invertical planes.

3. In a device of the class described, a rack frame, corner memberspivoted at the corners thereof to swing in substantially vertical planesfrom downwardly extending position to upright position and designed toclear the rack frame, side frame members pivoted to the respectivecorner members and inclined therefrom toward the transverse center lineof the rack, link devices pivoted to the rack frame, one of said linkdevices being pivoted to each of said side frame members, and springcatch devices for locking said link members in any position of theirmovement.

4:. In a device of the class described, a rack frame, corner memberspivoted at the corners thereof to swing in substantially vertical planesfrom downwardly extending position to upright position and designed toclear the rack frame, side frame members pivoted to the respectivecorner members and inclined therefrom toward the transverse center lineof the rack, link devices pivoted to the rack frame, one of said linkdevices being pivoted to each of said side frame members, said linkconsisting of parallel members spaced from each other and arranged toreceive between said parallel members portions of the rack frame whensaid corner members are either upright or extending verticallydownwardly, a catch device mounted on each of said frame members, andcoacting catch devices mounted on the rack frame.

5. In a device of the class described, a rack frame, corner memberspivoted at the corners thereof to swing in substantially vertical planesfrom downwardly extending position to upright position and designed toclear the rack frame, side frame members pivoted to the respectivecorner members and inclined therefrom toward the transverse center lineof the rack, link devices pivoted to the rack frame, one of said linkdevices being pivoted to each of said side frame members, said linkconsisting of parallel members spaced from each other and arranged toreceive between said parallel members portions of the rack frame whensaid corner members are either upright or extending verticallydownwardly, spring catch devices mounted on the rack frame and coactingcatch devices on said side frame members, said catch devices beingarranged to automatically engage when the link devices are moved toposition where they receive parts of the rack frame between theirparallel members.

Des Moines, Iowa, March 18, 1914.

GEORGE S. 'WASHBURN.

Witnesses L. RoBINsoN, M. WALLACE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, I). G.

